Value Maritime and the partners of the Maritime Efficient & Easy Carbon Capture (ME2CC) Project have secured funding under the Maritime Masterplan 2024 to support the development, construction, and demonstration of an innovative compact, modular carbon capture system. This groundbreaking technology will be retrofitted onto the LNG vessel Samskip Kvitbjorn, marking a significant milestone in advancing maritime decarbonisation.
Pioneering Carbon Capture Technology
The Samskip Kvitbjorn, a key component of Samskip’s sustainable logistics operations, runs a fixed route from Rotterdam to Hammerfest along the Norwegian west coast, an area renowned for its environmental sensitivity. The installation of Value Maritime’s carbon capture system ensures compliance with stringent emission standards set by the EU and Norwegian authorities.
The ME2CC consortium includes an impressive lineup of maritime and engineering leaders: Samskip Holding, B2B Marine, Fusie Engineers, Devoteq, Brusche Process Technology, Heatmaster, and Yard Energy Group. Together, they aim to enhance maritime carbon capture by leveraging the success of their earlier small-scale system installed on the vessel Nordica two years ago.
Compact and Scalable Design
The ME2CC system employs a cutting-edge design that reduces the carbon capture unit’s height and footprint by up to one-third compared to traditional absorption technologies. By integrating hot flue gas for onboard electricity generation, the system enhances energy efficiency and lowers operational costs while capturing CO2 emissions.
The captured CO2 will be offloaded at ports and transported to land-based CO2 hubs, where it will be regenerated using renewable electricity and prepared for downstream applications such as agriculture. This closed-loop process minimises costs and environmental impact, representing a leap forward in onshore carbon capture infrastructure.
Versatility and Economic Viability
The modular nature of the ME2CC system makes it adaptable for various vessel types, from shortsea and inland ships to large offshore vessels. The system’s plug-and-play design enables straightforward installation and removal, paving the way for leasing models to facilitate rapid adoption across the maritime industry.
By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption, the system addresses two pressing challenges for shipowners—environmental compliance and operational cost efficiency—ensuring the maritime sector remains competitive while meeting global climate goals.
Christiaan Nijst, Co-Founder and Director of Value Maritime, emphasized the importance of the initiative “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding, which provides an important stimulus to the ME2CC project, and to the maritime energy transition. The combination of low costs for shipping companies and the compact, modular nature of this solution makes it highly scalable and widely applicable. This initiative underscores our commitment to driving meaningful change in the maritime industry.”
Erik Hofmeester, Head of Vessel Management at Samskip, highlighted the alignment with their sustainability goals “We have spent years actively pursuing sustainable solutions across our fleet, and the retrofitting of the Samskip Kvitbjorn aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of shipping. Working alongside Value Maritime and the ME2CC consortium members, we are ensuring that the Samskip Kvitbjorn meets the low-emission requirements set by the EU and Norwegian authorities, all while continuing to provide reliable service for our customers.”
Fokke van der Veen, Program Manager Energy Systems at Maritiem Masterplan, added “Development and demonstration of Onboard Carbon Capture with an LNG energy system will certainly lead to a more sustainable maritime future.”
Advancing Maritime Sustainability – ME2CC Project
The ME2CC project is poised to deliver a scalable, cost-effective solution for maritime carbon capture, helping shipping companies transition to low-carbon operations. As maritime stakeholders intensify efforts to decarbonise, this initiative signals a new era of sustainable innovation in the industry.
About Samskip
Samskip is a global logistics company providing environmentally responsible and efficient transport solutions. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, Samskip is committed to reducing its environmental footprint while delivering reliable service to its customers.
About Value Maritime
Value Maritime is a forward-thinking, innovation-driven team composed of seasoned engineers and financial experts who are deeply attuned to the maritime industry’s needs. Founded in 2017, the company is dedicated to delivering new, practical, and sustainable solutions that offer both commercial and financial benefits.
Value Maritime’s technology has been instrumental in helping shipowners and operators achieve significant emission reductions and cost savings. Their commitment is centered on making the maritime sector more sustainable through the development of economically viable technological solutions that address shipping emissions.
One of their flagship innovations is the Filtree system. This cutting-edge technology offers comprehensive environmental benefits by cleaning both air and water across various ship types. It includes an integrated carbon capture feature, making it a viable option for both newbuilds and retrofits, thus ensuring that today’s fleet is both sustainable and future-proof.
The Filtree System integrates SOx exhaust cleaning with CO₂ capture. It employs seawater to remove 99.9% of sulphur oxides and 99% of particulate matter from the exhaust gas. The remaining gas, primarily CO₂, then interacts with an amine chemical compound in the OCCS system. The CO₂ binds to the amine, and the resulting compound, although still a gas, is treated as a liquid and stored in onboard tanks. This method avoids the need for CO₂ liquefaction or pressurization, reducing the energy and cost implications of capture and storage. During port calls, the CO₂-saturated amine is offloaded and replaced with clean amine.